


Hundred Percent Bitter

by ShadeofGreen



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Exactly What It Says on the Tin, Ficlet, Love Confessions, M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-27 06:02:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16696837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadeofGreen/pseuds/ShadeofGreen
Summary: “Can I ask you a question?” Ryuji scratched the back of his head. This was honestly a risky move, especially since it’sAkechiof all people, but it the question was driving Ryuji crazy. He’ll take any answer over no answer.





	Hundred Percent Bitter

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely inspired by lines (and some elements) of the Pushing Daisies episode 'Bittersweets'. The fic has hinted Persona 5 Protagonist/Yusuke Kitagawa and one-sided Ryuji Sakamoto/Persona 5 Protagonist. Tagging them would be pointless since those ships aren't the main focus (plus, it would be a slap in a face for fans of those ships because it would be a false positive; I don't want to do that to them.)
> 
> Timeline is a bit mess up, but confidants can be done at your own pace. Please excuse any spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, and canon continuity errors/mistakes.

It was a normal day at Café LeBlanc. Well, it was almost as normal as a normal day can be. Ryuji had taken up the Sunday to hang out with Ren, only for said plans to get cancel due to an art emergency with Yusuke. But hey, if emergency were emergencies, then so be it. Ryuji knows how much of an effing rut Yusuke is in. Besides, Ren is the one to be supportive for any one. Ren was supportive with his problems, after all.

(However twang that was in Ryuji’s heart is slowly cracking. Ryuji can tell that how Ren glances at Yusuke in a way that he never looks at anyone else. Worse yet, it was a glance that Yusuke returns. Whether or not Ren and Yusuke were actually together was something else entirely. Everyone knew it was best not to ask them until the two confirm or deny it themselves.)

As Ryuji thinks about how to spend the rest of the day, wondering if he had enough money to play some arcade games, the teenager failed to realized three things: One, someone had enter the café and took the seat next to him. Two, said someone had order a cup of coffee, and had began to make small talk with Sojiro Sakura. Three, said someone had been trying to get Ryuji’s attention for the past minute.

“Sakamoto…Sakamoto! Did you not hear Sakura needing to leave the shop for a small break?”

“Wait…huh!?”

“I said-”

“No, I heard what you said. I was just zoning out." Ryuji clearly can’t believe his luck today. Staring at him, with his dumb haircut, dumb sweater vest, and annoying charming face was Goro Akechi himself. First Ryuji has make peace with the art emergency, now he this. Gritting his teeth, Ryuji force himself into a talk with Akechi. Oh, how he waits for the day for the guy to leave the Phantom Thieves alone. For now, Ryuji has to play ‘nice’. Actually, Ryuji realized, maybe…just maybe…

“Can I ask you a question?” Ryuji scratched the back of his head. This was honestly a risky move, especially since it’s _Akechi_ of all people, but it the question was driving Ryuji crazy. He’ll take any answer over no answer.

“Of course.”

“If you loved me…”

(Had Ryuji pay attention, he would have notice Akechi’s posture straighten up fast, or how Akechi was trying to avoid eye contact.)

“And you know that I loved someone else, who may or may not love somebody else…knowing there’s no chance in hell we can get together, wouldn’t you get over it and move on?”

Akechi does his famous thinking pose, his hand under his chin, in apparent deep thought. It was less than a minute did Akechi spoke his answer.

“If I loved you,” said Akechi, soft and hesitantly, like he doesn’t know the answer himself, “I would tell you regardless. I would tell you with all my heart.”

Ryuji nodded his head, expecting Akechi to end the conversation right there.

Instead, Akechi continued. He took a deep breath, and spoke the rest of his thoughts with a strong surge, like a water faucet that’s broken.

“I would tell you that even if you don’t return the feelings, and you want me to stay away, I’ll do it. One word from you will keep me quiet forever,” continued Akechi, now staring at Ryuji directly, their eyes meeting each other.

“However, if you do,” –and here Akechi leaned in, wanting Ryuji to hear every word- “but there’s no way we can ever be together, know I’ll love you in any way I can. If we can’t touch, I’ll draw strength from your beauty, admiring you from afar. If I went blind, I’ll fill my soul with the sound of your annoying voice, hoping to get all the contents of your thoughts. I’ll try any way to have you in my life, up until the last spark of my love lifts the darkness in my dying mind.”

Ryuji blinked, and quickly turned away, getting out of his chair.

“You know what? Forget it.”

As Ryuji headed to the bathroom to clean his ears of the nonsense, Akechi slowly turned back to his coffee cup, face a deep shade of red, not taking another sip for a very long time.

~~~

After everything that happened in Shido’s Palace, Ryuji thought it would be best to head straight home. He hoped mom wouldn’t question why Ryuji was tired all of a sudden. Actually, Ryuji hoped mom was still at work. He’ll take anyone that isn’t his mother.

So imagine Ryuji’s surprise to see a torn-clothed, bloody and bruise Akechi standing at his apartment complex, holding his right arm. It looked he came back from hell itself. Akechi was staring down at the ground, so hearing the footsteps got his attention.

“Ryuji!” Akechi’s expression of pain was turned a smile, one that was real.

“Akechi!”

Ryuji couldn’t believe it. Knowing Akechi’s past –and his real self, not the fake detective act- definitely softened the detective’s image, but not by much. Yet Ryuji couldn’t help but be glad the jerk was alive. After all the crap that Shido and the cognitive Akechi put him through, the last moments of absolute horror…

Seeing Akechi made Ryuji’s heart beat with joy.

Without realizing it, Ryuji had decided to run up to Akechi, and Akechi decided to tightly embrace Ryuji into his arms. Not once did Akechi let go. Both stood there in the embrace. Quiet, but happy. Ryuji wanted the moment to last forever.

Maybe, just maybe…

~~~

Ryuji unlocked the apartment door. It was empty, and the lights were off. Ryuji decided to take advantage of the darkness and loneliness, running right into his bedroom. As he slammed close the door, Ryuji picked up the nearly object –he doesn’t care what- and threw it against the wall.

Ryuji gave a loud scream, sat down on his bed, and stared down at the floor.


End file.
